More on InterveXion's Federal Grants from UA Newswire
InterveXion Therapeutics is a UAMS BioVentures startup from Little Rock that was co-founded by University of Arkansas researcher Ralph Henry.
InterVexion is developing drug therapies that can help methamphetamine drug abusers break their addiction, and recently it received federal grants totaling $14.5 million to help further its research.
Here's more from Arkansas Business.
The UA Newswire has more here on Henry and InterveXion's research. A sample:
Ralph Henry, a Distinguished Professor of biological sciences, co-founded InterveXion Therapeutics in 2004 with University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences researchers S. Michael Owens and Dr. W. Brooks Gentry. Henry currently holds the title of vice president of biopharmaceutics for the Little Rock firm. UAMS is the sub-awardee on the grants.
Building on successful completion of their first human clinical study, a $5 million award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health will support additional research and production of an anti-methamphetamine monoclonal antibody setting the stage for InterveXion’s next phase of human testing.
The antibody binds methamphetamine in the blood stream, preventing the drug from entering the brain where it is known to cause the pleasurable effects that support addiction. If successful, it would be the first medication to reduce or eliminate these effects over a long period of time.
A $9.55 million award – also from the National Institute on Drug Abuse – will support research to develop a vaccine intended to stimulate a patient’s own immune system into making antibodies that bind methamphetamine.
Great stuff. Significant research being done right here at home. Keep up the good work, yall.